Magnetic control device



Sept. 10, 1935. M. J. JOHNSON MAGNETIC CONTROL DEVICE Filed Aug .28, 1928 INVENTOR. Mam/99o fob/7:012.

Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to clutchactuating means, and more particularly to magnetic control devices therefor. It is an object of the invention to provide a quick acting control device of the nature described. A further object is to provide a simple and reliable magnetic control mechanism of the nature described.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which,-

Fig. 1 is a partially diagrammatic showing of an electro-magnet control mechanism, the operators remote control means, and the source of operating power;

Fig. 2 is a front view to an enlarged scale of the electro-magnet control mechanism taken in the direction indicated by the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the electro-magnet control mechanism to the same scale as Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a side view of the electro-magnet control mechanism taken in the direction indicated by line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown .a shiftable yoke 38, which may be used to shift the movable member of a clutch or other like mechanism (not shown). The yoke 38 is pivotally mounted on a post 39 carried by the arm 40b of a U-shaped bail 40. The bail 40, having the arms 40a and 40b, is pivotally mounted, by means of the screws 44, on a member 69.

This member 69, which supports the clutch actuating mechanism, is suspended from a plate 2| by means of the screws 35 which, (as best shown in Fig. 2) engage the threaded openings 12 in the member 69, and the member 69 is spaced from the plate 2| by means of the spacing collars 31. The clutch or other mechanism may be moved by the shifting of the yoke-carrying bail 40 about its pivots 44, and, as will appear hereinafter, the bail 40 preferably is associated with the armature of a single electro-magnet in such a manner that the repeated energization of the electro-magnet operates to shift the bail from one position to the other under the control of the operator.

As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the member 69 preferably is an inverted .U-shaped piece, which, with 00 the central core member 13 carrying the magnet coil 1 I, comprises an electro-magnet for actuating the clutch shifting mechanism. The coil ll may be held in place on the central core member 13 by suitable means such as the insulating 55 members 61 and 68.

The bail member 40 preferably has limited turning movement, and suitable means, such as a toggle spring arrangement, for normally maintaining the bail 40 in whichever of its two extreme positions it may happen to occupy. As 5 shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the arm 40a of the bail is provided with a substantially inverted T-shaped slot 15. The vertical part of the T-shaped slot points toward the pivot 44, and the transverse part of the T-shaped slot is arcuate with respect 1 to the said pivot 44. Passing through the armate portion of the slot 15 is a stud 19, which is fixed upon one of the depending legs of the member 69. The arcuate slot 15 and the stud l9 limit the turning of the bail 40 about the pivot 44. 15

Pivotally mounted on the outer end of the stud 19 is a lever 18, the upper end of which carries an inwardly projecting pin 'l'l slidably engaging the vertical portion of the T-shaped slot 15. The lower end of the lever 18 carries an outward- 29 ly projecting stud 80, to which is attached one end of a tension spring 8|. The other end of this spring is fastened to the outer end of a stud 16 mounted on a portion of the bail arm 40c extending beyond the pivot 44. 25

It will be seen that this arrangement provides a toggle control which acts through the spring 8| and the pivoted lever 18 to snap the bail 40 to one or the other of its extreme positions as soon as the bail is moved sufficiently to carry the spring 30 8| over the center of'the stud 19.

The lower portion of the U-shaped ball 40 serves as an armature for cooperating with the central core member 13 and the legs of the U- shaped piece 59, substantially to complete a 35 branched, closed magnetic circuit through the central core member 13 and the legs of the U- shaped piece 69. When the electro-magnet coil H is energized, the armature 40 will move from either of the positions to which it is normally biased by means of the spring toggle arrangement, to a position in line with the core 13 and the ends of the legs of the U-shaped piece 69. With the armature in this position the spring 8| theoretically will extend over the center of the stud 19. 45 However, when the electro-magnet is energized, the momentum of the suddenly shifted armature will move the bail actually to carry the spring slightly past the center of the stud 19, but the continued energization of the electro-magnet will cause the armature to come to rest with the spring 8! over the center of the stud 19.

It will be seen, therefore, that if some means is provided to break the energizing circuit of the electro-magnet at the instant the spring 8| first passes over the center of the stud I8, the spring 8| will act to continue the movement of the bail, and the act of energizing the eiectro-magnet will result in a shifting of the armature and bail 48 from one of its extreme positions to the other.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the means for breaking the circuit of the electro-magnet comprises a double throw switch having fixedly mounted contacts 84 and 85. and an intermediate contact 82 which may be moved into engagement with either of the contacts 84 and 85. The contacts 84 and 68 are mounted upon a piece of insulating material 88, which may be secured to the core 89. (as by means of the screws shown in Fig. 4;) The contact 8! is mounted on one end of a switch arm 83, and preferably is insulated therefrom in any suitable manner. As shown, the switch arm 88 comprises a substantially right-angled bell crank which is pivotally mounted on the bail arm b at N. The other end of the switch arm 83 is connected by means of a spiral spring B8 to the bail 48 at 85.

when the ball 48 is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the spring 86 biases the switch arm 88 to bring the contacts 85 and 82 together. When the bail 48 is in its other extreme position the spring 88 will bias the switch arm 83 to bring the contacts 84 and 82 together.

In Fig. 1, which is a partially diagrammatic showing of an illustrative embodiment of the complete control mechanism. the mandrel driving motor I8 is supplied with power from a source of electricity, (not shown) by means oi the leads indicated diagrammatically at 58. Ordinarily this connection will be made through a lighting circuit outlet. A switch 5| is inserted. preferably in the circuit between the motor i9 and the leads 58. so that operation of the motor may be conveniently controlled. Power also is supplied from the leads 58 to the electric clutch mechanism, and, as shown, a transformer 52, having the leads B8 and 54 connected to the secondary terminals thereof, supplies this power at any suitable voltage.

The leads I8 and 54 connect with the electromagnet device for actuating the yoke-carrying ball 48, and also with a suitable operator's ioot control switch shown at the left of Fig. l, for controlling the operation of said electro-magnet device. As shown, the lead 88 connects with a spring switch terminal 85. which is mounted between. and insulated from two other spring switch terminals 88 and 81, all mounted in any suitable supporting member such as 58. Terminals 88 and 88 normally are maintained in contact with each other by means of a spring 88. A button 88 is movably mounted on the supporting member 58, and has a projection 6| bearing on the switch terminal in such a manner as to limit the movement thereof by the spring 58. The button 80 is adapted to be moved against the pressure of the spring 58 by the exertion of a counter-pressure thereon, as by use of the operator's foot or hand, so as to compress the spring 88, break the electrical contact between the terminals El and 58, and complete an electrical circuit through the terminals 55 and 51.

The terminal 88 is connected by means of a lead 82 to the fixed contact 64 of the double throw switch hereinbefore described, and the terminaill is connected by means of a lead 83 to the other fixed terminal of this double throw switch. The movable contact 82 is connected by the lead 81 to one terminal of the coil II, and the other terminal of the coil 1! connects to the lead 54.

The operation of the arrangement is as follows: With the ball 48 in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the clutch is disengaged and the shafts l8 and 28 are disconnected. The spring ll biases the switch arm 88 to maintain contact between 85 and 82, and the electrical circuit through the coil II is open. When the operator actuates the button 68, an electrical circuit is 11 completed i'rom the transformer 52 through the lead 53, contacts 55 and 51. lead 83, contacts II and 82, lead 81, the electromagnet coil H, and lead SI back to the transformer 52. Passage of current through the coil H causes the armature 1| M) to be moved toward a point directly under the end oi. the central core member 11. The momentum of the armature and bail 48 carries the armature past the end of the core member 73, whereupon the spring 86 biases the switch 21 arm 88 to break the engagement between the contacts 65 and 82, thereby opening the electrical circuit through the electro-magnet ll. When the electro-magnet is de-energized in this manner, the spring 8i causes the continued move- 2: ment of the bail l0, and biases the ball 48 to the opposite extreme position from that shown in Fig. i. This movement of the bail l8 shifts the yoke 38 and, with it, the mechanism to which it is connected. 31.

When the bail 40 is moved to separate the contacts 85 and 82, the spring 86 is made to bias the switch arm 83 so as to bring contacts 84 and 32 together. It is seen therefore, that a circuit is prepared so that the electro-magnet 35 again will be energized as soon as the operator releases the button 60, through the following circuit:--transiormer 52, lead 53, contacts 68 and 56, lead 82, contacts 64 and 82, lead 81, coll H, and lead 54 back to the transformer 52. This 40 operation serves to return the ball 40 to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby disconnecting the shafts 33 and 25.

Thus it will be seen that when the operator actuates the button 88 by pressure thereon the 45 electro-magnet is momentarily energized to actuate the yoke 38 in one direction. and when the operator releases the button 68. this same electromagnet is again momentarily energized to actuate the yoke 88 in the opposite direction.

This invention provides a compact clutch operating mechanism which may be readily controlled by means of a single electro-magnet requiring a minimum of power for operation.

It will be understood that the invention may be 85 variously modified and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claims;

I claim:-

1. In a magnetic control device, in combination, rigidly mounted field members, an armature pivotally mounted to swing in opposite directions across the poles of said members, a lever pivotally mounted upon said field members by means of a pin extending through a transverse slot in said armature and having a pin connection with a longitudinal slot in said armature, and a spring connecting said lever with said armature, whereby said armature will be compelled to complete the traverse of its path of movement after having been swung in either direction beyond a predetermined point.

2. In a magnetic control device, in combination, rigidly mounted rleld members, an armsture pivotally mounted to swing in opposite directions across the poles of said members, and a circuit-changing switch comprising contacts mounted in fixed relation to said field members and a contact member adapted to swing from either of said fixed contacts to the other thereof, said contact member being pivotally mounted upon said armature and having an arm adapted to be swung to either side of a dead center position with respect to said armature by a spring connection with said armature to'r'causing operation of said contact member after said armature has passed a predetermined point in traversing its path of movement.

MANFRED J. JOHNSON. 

